Wichita eagle., 1887-07-07

AASAC, ACIp tAAo PidIS 4OA LIZ AOA O AC ',
minutes. | expect friend"
I jumped up, rushed around into ths
Rue Scribe and up to the door Of the In
man Office. 1t was shut; not only shut
but locked. I glanced along the street
All the business establishments were
closed. "Whas IS it?'' asked Of an ole
woman who came hobbling from out {
pore cochere.
1T is holiday, mon poupard," she re
piled sweetly as she limped away.
L suddenly remembered that such was
the fact, and I had forgotten it. I'll.
bank was shut; l hadn't a centime, al,
had a bill of 30 cents at the Cafe de l.
PAX. l slowly sauntered back to the
cafe, scheming as to what could be done
under the circumstances. At once there
flashed over me a grand revelation
Everybody in Paris passes at least once
during the day before the Cafe de la
PaiX." 1 was saved l went back, took
my old seat, retook my umbrella, and
with a smile Of confidence l ordered yet
another book and some more Of cigars.
then calmly waited for relief.
1t was probably about O'Clock when
resumed my seat, cigars and beer, and
commenced waiting. 1 was enthusiastic
In the belief that help was imminent. !
scanned the crowd closely for the sight OF
a familiar face. l kept vigilans eye
adown the serried ranks of the throng in
front Of the cafe in order to detect the
arrival of a friend.
Three o'clock sounded, and there had
not passed a human being whom I had
ever seen before. began to be uneasy.
To keep up appearances | had to order
books and cigars as fast as each supply
was exhausted. I became not only IN
easy, but irritated. Where were all the
people l knew, and who up to this &C.
cursed hour seemed to spend all their
time in swigging beer or brandy in front
Of this cafe?
From 2 till 4 o'clock I sat there, and
watched and waited for familiar face,
and not one presented itself. There were
half dozen fellows who had smoked and
drank at my expense in that very place
for weeks, and on this particular day not
one Of them presented an appearance.
began to feel for all of them personal
hatred; it seemed as if they had de-
iberately conspired to remain away so as
to avoid lending ME the paltry sum Of
fifty sous.
1t was approaching o'clock. My
garcon no longer smiled or looked hope
ful. In place of these manifestations a
thunder cloud Of gloom and suspicion
rested on his face. was in despair. Just
at this critical moment, 1 suddenly re-
membered that couple of days before I
had been introduced to an American ex-
hibitor who, when he learned that 1 was
press representative, had overwhelmed
ma with of &c -oinoa ~
business was only about half a block dis
tant If could but see him-but how?
Just in front of where / sat there was a
kiosk on the edge of the sidewalk, where
woman was selling papers, who, as
learned from overhearing her occasional
conversation with her customers, was
English. 1 wrote a note to the American
exhibitor, asking him TO step over for the
moment to the Cafe de Ia Paix, as
wanted to see him on very particular
business. I called to her and asked her
to take the note, but she refused on the
ground that she could not leave the kiosk.
l was desperate, and resolved on des-
perate measures. Waiting till q small
party gave my garcon an ORDER, | stopped
till his back was turned and then bolted.
went around the corner like q musket
ball, and a moment later burst into the
office of my American acquaintance. He
was there, and q beautiful smile came
over his face as he saw me, and came for
ward and shook my hand with an effective
effEsica.
Lend me five francs, quick,' said /,
and at once his smile vanished His face
became hard and was clouded with sus-
piciOn. ''Listenr' / said, vehemsntly, as
I then hurriedly told him my situation.
He seemed to doubt me. He evidently
thought it was an attempt to beat him,
and yet it might be true, and he hesitatsd
between making an enemy Of a newspaper
representative and losing five francs.
Policy prevailed, and finally, after consid
cradle hesitation, he took a five franc
piece from his pocket, and, with don't
ke-to-lend-money-to " he hand
ed it TO me. did not wait to thank him,
but rushed back to the cafe and dropped
into my old seat in time to intercept the
garcon before his return with his last
order.
"Combien?'' I said again, and this time
with all the nerve and assurance of a cap
italist. HIS face at once cleared up, and
after a little figuring he announced
I0dtIc-NItgI-C4Ilti oOuS- ANU 4 toSSt,i Hllll
the five franc piece Retaining enough
out of the change to pay my car fare to
Vincennes wood, l gave him the re-
mainder for pourboire and then fed
homeward.
The next day, when I came into the
city, went over to the Inman Office and
drew in gold my deposits. amounting TO
several hundred francs, which I thrust
into my trousers pocket. L then went
over to the office of my American friend,
the exhibitor, and, walking up to his desk,
pulled out as much gold as could hold in
one hand and, laying it on the desk before
him, asked him to please take out the five
francs which he had loaned me and such
interest as he thought ought to he paid on
the accommodation Poliuto in Chicago
Times.